Our dead pilot this month is The Prince by Mehar Sethi (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Bojack Horseman). When Dave Whitney, a ruthless corporate fixer in Texas, is passed over for a promotion in his family's oil business, he decides to take the whole company down. Mehar describes it as "What if Karl Rove worked for Greenpeace?"

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This week Nnekay and James are fighting back against the awful memo that was passed around to major agencies in our government about the definition of gender. Before we get to the main event, James and Nnekay wonder... is Halloween still fun? Speaking of Halloween, Megyn Kelly has some questions about costumes as well, specifically Blackface. Let's just say she's WRONG in her opinions. Luke Cage and Iron Fist are getting cancelled, which makes James wonder if Disney has something up it's sleeves- James also elaborates on his newest obsession: DocuDramas! James kicks of the first korner by explaining what this memo is all about, and how it can impact the lives of Transgender and Gender Non Conforming people. James also gives tips on how we can fight back against this hateful ass memo and what we can uplift and support each other. Nnekay takes the baton by giving more tips on self preservation for POC transgender and gender non conforming people. She also gives a trusty dusty list of books that celebrate and lift up the voices of those apart of the community. Also did James manage to get yelled at by George Takei? I think you know the answer.

Our dead pilot this month was written by Brian Gallivan (The McCarthy’s, Happy Endings). It’s called Mr. Joyce’s Opus and it centers around Chuck Joyce, a Catholic school teacher, who throws out his curriculum to connect with his students despite the fact that they’re all horrible little monsters.

Andrew interviews Brian regarding his career, the development process for this pilot, and how he handles network notes calls. You’ll also listen to a live table read of Mr. Joyce’s Opus, performed by some of today's funniest comedic actors.

Come to our next live show at The USC Comedy Festival on November 4th at 4pm. Because we love our fans sooooo much, this show is completely free! We’re reading a pilot called American Alien written by Sierra Teller Ornelas (Superstore, Splitting Up Together).

For more Dead Pilot Society episodes and information about our live shows, please subscribe to the podcast! Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @deadpilotspod, on twitter @deadpilotspod, and visit our website at deadpilotssociety.com.

Sarah Jessica Parker began her career on Broadway, then quickly moved on to acting in classic films throughout the 80's and 90's like Footloose and LA Story. She's probably best known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on HBO's Sex And The City, which ended in 2004. Her latest role is also for HBO - a comedic drama called Divorce.

Sarah Jessica tells Jesse about the hardest part about acting in Sex And The City, how she finds distance between herself and the characters she plays on screen, and the glory of Thomas Haden Church's mustache.

Chris Gethard hosted the The Chris Gethard Show for 6 years. It aired first on New York City public access, then later on the Fusion network. You might've also seen him on Broad City or Don't Think Twice, the Mike Birbiglia movie that came out in 2016.

Chris is also a standup. His HBO special produced with Judd Apatow is called Career Suicide. It's kind of a one-man show where he covers difficult issues like alcoholism, depression, and death.

Insecure just ended it's season and the duo can barely believe it. Give that show more episodes, dammit! James watched the HBO documentary on Jane Fonda and was reminded why he loved her so much. Such an amazing life! Nnekay could relate since she watched the recent Quincy Jones Documentary. It's wonderful to honor our heroes while they are alive. Nnekay found a new video game called Supreme Courtship... about dating justices... which is as problematic as you would think it is. In the Korners- James is Getting us pumped for this November with ALL the facts on why it is truly important and necessary to make sure we all get out there and VOTE. He breaks down the Michael Moore Film 11/9 and how this could be the possible end to our democracy. Nnekay has a another great book list for you- this time on how to teach your children about consent and help curb toxic masculinity. Let's get to it!!!

Reeling from the outrage about Kaepernick's feature in Nike's new campaign, the duo discusses... is Nike doing good or is it more complicated than that?! Also they are dissecting Whitney Houston's documentary, the tragedy that she went through and why we gotta give her more respect. The main korner for the show is Anita Hill, the precursor to the #metoo movement, James breaks down everything we might not know or have forgotten about her story and everything she went through during the confirmation of Clarence Thomas. Also- who's a better actor Whitney Houston or Halle Berry?

This week, Guy Branum, Margaret Wappler and Karen Tongson discuss HBO’s Sharp Objects. It’s based on the Gillian Flynn Novel of the same name and is about a woman, Camille Preaker, played by Amy Adams, who returns to her childhood home to combat her personal demons and look into a number of unsolved murders.

Margaret is all about Won't You Be My Neighbor?, the Fred Rogers biopic that’s guaranteed to conjure up feelings of love and kindness even in this divisive time. Karen is all about the second season of the Netflix series GLOW, especially the eighth episode, which may be the show’s crowning achievement. Guy is all about the video game Fobia on Steam, which finally gave him the type of gaming that he can embrace.

The group will give their thoughts on the HBO series Sharp Objects, including why Amy Adams works so well playing a real person. They also discuss what makes the HBO television production model work so well, and why that might change in the future. Plus, they’ll introduce some new elements to the podcast: The Wappler Test and the Pop Rocket seal of approval.

The Pop Rocket 2018 Summer Book Club is a go! We’re reading Crazy Rich Asians. Join the Facebook group and get in on the conversation.

This week, we're doing something a little different on Bullseye. It's been 10 years since HBO's brilliant crime drama "The Wire" ended its run. We're dedicating the entire episode to the groundbreaking show. "The Wire" wasn't just another cop show -- it was an investigation of contemporary America that uses the drug trade as a lens to get at even larger issues. "The Wire" is just kind of setup like a novel -- its got its own idiom, its own pacing. And even ten years later the show is still incredibly relevant and riveting to watch.

We'll revisit an interview from 2008, which features two greats from the ensemble cast of "The Wire." Wendell Pierce (Detective Bunk Moreland) and Andre Royo (Bubbles) talked with Jesse about their time as actors on "The Wire." They discuss what it was like to authentically portray life in poor Baltimore neighborhoods, and how the show helped them launch their careers in an industry where the roles they often auditioned for were so polarizing.

Plus, we'll hear from author Jonathan Abrams. Jonathan is an award-winning writer for The Bleacher Report and he's written for Grantland, The LA Times, The New York Times and more. He became obsessed with HBO's "The Wire" when a friend kept bugging him to watch it. He finally gave it a shot during the show's 4th season that aired in 2006.

He just wrote "All the Piece Matter: The Inside Story of The Wire." It's an oral history of the show as told by the actors, writers, directors, and other people involved in its creation. He'll tell us about the painstaking efforts the show creator, David Simon; took to make sure the show got Baltimore right.

You can check out and share Wendell Pierce and Andre Royo's interview from the archives on YouTube here. And listen to Jonathan Abrams segment here!

This episode of Bullseye will include some light spoilers about "The Wire." If you haven't seen it by now… what are you waiting for! You've been warned.

This episode is SO MUCH FUN! Pete Holmes and Annabelle Gurwitch grace Go Fact Yourself with their wit, joy and, yes, abject frustration. And we learn fun facts about the performers. For example, Pete Holmes reveals that The New Yorker rejected his avocado cartoon, and calls into question the magazine’s editorial judgment. J. Keith reminds Annabelle Gurwitch that they both appeared in a pilot together that was so unmemorable...he had to tell her what it was.

J. Keith Van Straaten and Helen Hong sink to new lows with questions like, “What’s the difference between a treaty and an accord?”, and “What’s the difference between arbitration and mediation?” It’s madness!

In the end, we’ll find out which of our guests can be crowned the winner. Pete Holmes’ areas of expertise are Vegan Nutrition, Judd Apatow Movies, and Mad Men. Annabelle Gurwitch claims to know about Joni Mitchell's Blue, Commercials from the 1970s, and Secessionist Painters in Vienna. You know, painters like Gustav Klimt and Rudolf von Alt. Spoiler alert: Gurwitch does not get a chance to demonstrate her expertise of that subject.

J.K. Simmons on his career, musical theater and what it’s like to be made into an action figure

J.K. Simmons never imagined he would work in film or television. In 1978, he graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in music. Many years later he put that degree to use for the Broadway musical revival of “Guys and Dolls” with his portrayal of Benny Southstreet.

His mainstream breakthrough performance didn’t occur until 1997. For six seasons, he played a neo-nazi named Vernon Schillinger on the HBO prison drama “Oz.” The groundbreaking program was the first hour-long drama produced by HBO. It was also one of the most graphic and violent shows on television at the time. In 2015, J.K. Simmons starred alongside Miles Teller in the movie “Whiplash,” directed by Damien Chazelle. His performance earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a ruthless, sadistic jazz instructor.

He's also known for his portrayal of John Jonah Jameson, the editor of the Daily Bugle in the Spiderman. Simmons’ portrayal is bombastic, unrelentless, and one of the best sources of comic relief in that series. It’s a performance that’s not many degrees away from the rage he channeled in “Oz,” but is done with a sort of charm that only J.K. could pull off.

J.K. Simmons stars in the new drama The Bachelors. In it, Simmons plays a math teacher named Bill Palet. Bill just lost his wife, and he's trying to move past it. One day Bill wakes up, and decides it’s time for a big change. Bill and his son, Wes, move out to California where Bill takes a job at a private school. Jesse talks with J.K. Simmons about the new film, musical theater, and of course, the John Jonah Jameson action figure (with Desk Pounding Action™).

Solomon Georgio made his television debut on CONAN in 2015. Since then he has appeared on The Meltdown with Jonah & Kumail, Viceland's Flophouse and Last Call with Carson Daly. His writing credits include contributions to “Adam Ruins Everything” on TruTV and “Spongebob Squarepants” on Nickelodeon.

He’s from Seattle, via Fresno, via St. Louis, Via Sudan and then Ethiopia, where his parents are from. These days he lives in Los Angeles. Sometimes his stand-up is vulnerable and sincere, talking about childhood trauma. But then he'll strike a pose and make an outrageous joke about his perfect thigh gap and like magic - you believe him. It’s that kind of charisma that gives him a unique presence on stage.

Earlier this year he got his own half-hour Comedy Central special. On the same day he released his debut record - Homonegro Superior, one of our favorites this year. Jesse talks with Solomon about his new comedy album, what it was like to come out to his parents as gay and what it was like to come out as a stand-up comedian.

Finally, for this week's Outshot: Jesse talks about “Child of the Ghetto” by Ghetto Dependent. The record came out in 2001 via Bad Boy Records. One highlight is the track “Everyday,” which relays some of the most realistic portrayals of being broke.